So we were wondering,, Can Kwik fish be fished without the often mentioned "sardine wrap" In Idaho, sardines come in tins and are consumed by really drunk people late at night when they can't find anything else to eat. What other types of "bait" can be attached that we might be able to get ahold of??? Where do you get the sardines that are used to "filet" and wrap on ??? If its the canned type that drunk people eat, maybe a slice off of one of those "hot momma's" you see floating in jars in any dive bar would work also??? Jokes aside, we bought a bunch of K-14 K-15's and want to know a little more about fishing them. Thanks in advance for your advice.

B-Run,

Yes you can fish Kwiky's successfully without bait. Its proven so for me. Never could stomach the canned ones- :p GOODLUCK

B-Run,
I have ordered sardines through the fish market at Top Foods. Don't know what grocery or fish markets you have but that's worth a try. One thing I did before my last trip out was to filet some frozen herring and marinate them the night before in sardine oil. Did have one hit and one hookup on that on what was generally a very slow day around us. As for a how to, check out Bob's tech links, he has one with a video on how to wrap the Kwiky. Biggest thing is to always re-tune it after you wrap it. Hope this helps ya out!!!
Good luck and tight lines, Jeff
PS,
Use the search engine here, there have been some threads with good details on how to tune and fish Kwiky's.

[ 04-30-2001: Message edited by: Jeffhead ]

Thanks Jeff, good ideas. It is easier watching the how video than reading a description. I will add my opinion that many guys wrap too large of filet on - upwards of 3 inches. They do work but I prefer a smaller one about half that long to wrap equal amounts in either direction of the belly eyescrew. The reason I do this is so the Kwikfish belly has more flash from the chrome, or whatever color, and still gets more than enough fresh bait scent. I also like to soak my filets in redish egg juice from the curing process. This gives it better smell and redish color. Wrapping on a sardine filet is definitely a strike enhancer. But not magically so as some think. You can come close in effectiveness with a quality baitoil or paste applied to the top side & hooks, leaving the belly and sides unsmeared for maximum lure flash. As Jeff pointed out, it is important to tune these to dive straight rather than off to the side, including a possible re-tune after a baitwrapping, by turning the eyescrew a tiny amount the opposite direction it's truning out to. Due to the high oilyness and oder of sardine filets they are considered the 'go to' wrap. Some other ones about as good that few use are airdried tight skeined small egg clusters, WD40 sprayed herring filets, live sandshrimp, and fileted raw jumbo prawn tails or crayfish tails. They all work great. Here's a little trick that I posted about over a year ago and I thought it fell on disbelieving ears, but it was the hot ticket in a few Columbia springer hoglines during the short season we got out there - applying a small amount of the regular Prep H on top and hooks. It has fishy smelling shark liver oil and also chems that 'nooks like in it (and sharks aren't natural predators of salmon - they're much too slow to catch them - so 'nooks are attracked rather than being adverse to the liver oil). Yes, the slogan in some hoglines this spring has been "buttwax rules!". Use it straight from the tube of course . Another tip to try is wrapping a very small sardine filet to the belly of Mag Warts. Have a good season over the B.

Have you ever seen a sardine with a Chartreuse head or tail…not likely. Any oily fish strip will work! I have seen fishermen used dead smolts or suckers and they seem to get great results. Its not the name of the fish, it's the smell of fresh fish! Try using other things like scrimp or cut squid. Anchovy have more oil then sardines do, try them!

Remember, it's the taste of the Bait!

Cowlitzfisherman

It the taste of the bait worth the sting of the hook????

Try wrapping a small piece of sponge on the bottom side of the Kwikfish and then add your favorite scent. Its worked for me!

Hey RT, Was that Preperation H? Sounds like a pretty crappie way to catch fish...lol

I would like to also add that you have brought alot of class to this board (not saying Bob has no class....LOL) and I will probably start being more involved on here. I was really getting tired of all the negativity and became one of the people that sat back and didn't post anything. I feel that I was not contributing and I also fell into the bashing that used to be so prevelent on here and felt it was counter productive...

Thanks for your insight and all your tips...Keep up the good work!!!!

I'll throw my 2 bits in. Flesh is sometimes essential, but I've found over the course of a decade or so of using these plugs that it isn't necessary most of the time. You'll know when it is required if you get squat with your bare plug, while the bait-wrapped ones are producing.

I've had pretty good success both back-bouncing and tossing plugs like a spinner without bait wraps, and if the going gets tough, I'll put a wrapped one on. I like them better without a wrap when tossing and retrieving them, as the wrap alters the action of the plug.

As to what to wrap them with....anything they would eat otherwise: herring, sardines, squid, shrimp......if you figure out how to use eggs on a plug, drop me an email.

You can run em' bare, but I'd ALWAYS keep a few wrapped ones within reach. The guys above gave some good advice for wrapping techs. and scents. Don't forget to tune your plugs to make sure they're diving and running straight, rather than squirting off to one side or rolling over in hard current.

Instead of bait, you could use velcro the same size as a wrap. It comes in white and self adhesive. Use the softer side. and stick it to a clean lure, in the same location as a wrap.
Squeeze in, and rub in your favorite scent. Pro-cure sardine. or a homemade vasoline scent. Some Asian stores downtown, sell pure sardine oil, or anchovy oil. Hint Hint

luhr jensen has a good bait wrapping page it is located at http://www.luhr-jensen.com/tr_bait_wrap.htm
lots of good information.scott

They can be fished fine w/o bait. But I often use a very thick wrap on my kwikfish for one specific reason, the bigger / thicker the wrap, the slower the wobble of the plug ... and slower is often better when it comes to kings.

Because of this, you might try placing one of the Pro-Cure scent pads on the belly even if you don't run scent with it, or sponge pieces as has been suggested, both will help slow the wobble.

As to the type of fish, yes, sardine seems to work best, but herring and anchovy are other options as well. Never tried the cut-bait method with other fish types, but ????

I'm with freedrift. I found a good use for that aerofly. tie it on instead of that wrap and inject a little oil into the sponge. the advantage is that it will last all day. you just have to put a little more oil in it when you check the lure. Hell I've even been able to use the same sponge over and over as long as it doesnt get knocked off when fighting the fish.

all right guys, i love all of this great advice and stuff for kings using kwikfish with the wraps and stuff...but, can someone tell me the basic way(s) to wrap a sardine around a kwikfish 'cus i'm totally new to this. and also, i'm going out with some friends on a boat on the snake and am not sure at what depth to fish these kwikfish. i'm new at this 'nook stuff but am a total steelhead fanatic! thanks for the help!
Fish on!
Cruise Control

I have a video on the Videos Page

I also have a page describing the Sardine Wrap

Have fun!!

That idea that MikeK had sounds good since it wouldnt change the way your kwik-fish performs. I also heard that if you attach the scratchey side of the velcro to the kwik-fish that you can scrub a fresh or frozen sardine or herring flesh into it and it will dispense the scent and particles into the water. Good luck ...Fishhead Vic

I love that idea Vic! Easy to rub it on a single sardine all day. We should have a fishing tips contest. Think I will.

I typically have better results w/ the wraps than without. My buddy got lasy and decided he was going use scent pads till I spanked him two or three trips in a row using my sardine wrap versus his scent pad.

Maybe those canned dines would work, no one has probably ever tried them. They are definitely OILY! I have seen stranger things that worked before.

I typically have better results w/ the wraps than without. My buddy got lasy and decided he was going use scent pads till I spanked him two or three trips in a row using my sardine wrap versus his scent pad.

Maybe those canned dines would work, no one has probably ever tried them. They are definitely OILY! I have seen stranger things that worked before.